The Healer and the Walker
by LoneGunGirl88
Summary: The day that Robin arrives at Sherwood, two strange girls with sketchy backrounds also arrive. One of the girls has a strange ability. Will they help or harm Robin's band? Based on the Prince of Thieves movie.
1. Meet the Girls

**Hey folks! New story! This is the first in my Walker series, which follows a girl who can 'walk' through different dimensions and takes her friends along. All her friends have different abilities too. If you have any questions just ask in your review, or e-mail me and I'll answer them. This story follows the Prince of Thieves movie. Oh, I don't own Robin Hood or any characters of said movie.**  
  
The Healer and the Walker  
  
Chapter 1: Meet the Girls  
To say that Will Scarlet was upset was an understatement. A big one. He was sitting on guard duty by the lake in a royal temper.  
Of all the people to come wandering into Sherwood! Of all the people to cross that river! Of all the people to beat John in a pole fight! Of all the damn people Will would have to be stuck with for the next God knew how long! It had to be that damned rich boy Robin of Loxley! Yes, Will Scarlet was pissed.  
Moodily he glanced at the sky. It would be dusk soon. His dark broodings were broken by the snap of a twig and a soft voice hissing his name. Will looked down from the branch he was perched on to see young Wolf staring up at him.  
"What?" Will asked, a little waspishly. Wolf ignored his tone.  
"There's two people headed this way of horseback. I spotted them a way's down on the other side of the river. Two women I think. Rich from the looks of them."  
Will hid his curiosity as to why two rich girls would be wandering around Sherwood forest unaccompanied.  
"Go fetch your father," Will said to Wolf. The boy scurried off on his errand. It shouldn't take too long, for the woodsmen hadn't moved too far away. Will turned his attention back to the river.  
Sure enough, a few minutes later two horses walked into view, ridden by two women. Will did a double take. These women looked to be noble and they were riding astride! At least, one looked noble, the other might be her lady-in-waiting. He watched as the two dismounted, then started to argue quietly, probably about who had to find a way across the river. As they argued John and the other woodsmen arrived. Will scowled to see Robin was among the group.  
When Will turned back to the river he saw that one of the girls, the one he had taken for a lady-in-waiting, was crossing the river. He expected the other girl to look smug that she didn't have to go, but to Will's surprise she was wearing a sour expression and called, "You always get to have the fun, Renee!" Renee laughed.  
Just then she reached the tripwire, so Will jerked it, sending the girl toppling over. Will sang out: "There was a rich girl from Nottingham who tried to cross the river. What a dope, she tripped on a rope! Now look at her shiver."  
Despite his sing-song tine, Will was suddenly uncertain. The girl had been back on her feet with a dagger in her hand before he had finished half a line. The other girl had tossed the horses' reins over a tree branch and rushed over to her friend's side. Will couldn't help but notice that she was very pretty. He dark auburn hair shone red wherever the sun struck it.  
"What do you want?" Renee snapped aggressively.  
"A tax," Will called back.  
"A tax for what you limey bastard?" the other girl called.  
"For crossing the river!" Will shouted back, amazed at the sharp language the girl was using. She sure didn't act like a noble.  
"You want a tax then come and get it!" Renee shouted.  
The woodsmen took this as their cue to run out onto the shore, hooting and cheering. Will jumped down from the tree and went to stand on shore. Seeing Robin near where he was standing he scowled angrily and went to stand further down. He didn't see the dark haired girl watching him closely. He did watch as John walked out into the water a bit to talk to the girls though.  
"Why don't you just pay us that tax, and we'll let you pass through safely," he cajoled.  
"No way!" they snapped.  
John stepped forward. "I really don't want to have to fight you two. So just hand over that tax." The dark haired girl shook off Renee's restraining hand and stepped forward.  
"Fight, huh?" she nodded at the walking pole in John's hands. "You any good with that?"  
"Best in Sherwood," said John proudly. The girl began to smirk.  
"You're going to have to prove that," she said quietly while Renee groaned. "You!" she pointed to a startled man on shore who was holding another walking pole. "That! Here! Now!" He scurried out into the water to give the pole to her, the hurried back to shore.  
"Are _you_ any good with that?" John asked, clearly unhappy that the girl wasn't backing down. In answer she hefted the pole one-handed, expertly swinging it around, tossing it and catching it, and finally bringing it to rest parallel to the water, aimed at John's chest.  
"Best in my class," she said quietly.  
"Lady Trienee-" began Renee, but Trienee cut her off.  
"Oh stop it Renee. I get to have the fun this time. Besides, I was always better at you at this little game. Just go wait on shore and watch me whip his sorry ass." John raised his eyebrows. Reluctantly, Renee went back to shore. "Your name sir?" Trienee queried of John.  
"John Little."  
"Trienee Rybeck. And now my good sir, we begin." Trienee took her first swing at the startled John, who blocked it, and the two began to fight in earnest. Will was stunned. This girl was amazing! She was meeting John blow for blow, keeping him on the defensive almost the entire time. John had started easy oh her because she was a woman but was now going all out. He was strong, but this girl was _fast_! She handled the pole so effortlessly, and whirled it so swiftly Will almost couldn't see it moving through the air.  
The match finally ended when Trienee knocked John on the wrist and he released his pole with a startled yelp. Trienee jabbed her pole into the ground and used it to vault over John's head, landing behind him, then turning and knocking his legs out from under him before he could turn. She put one foot on his wrist, and the pole under his chin.  
"Do you surrender?" she asked. John was staring at Trienee in wonder.  
"I do young lass."  
"Good." Trienee grinned as she helped John to his feet.  
"Is losing a new hobby for you John?" called someone from shore. "That's the second time today! And to a girl too!" John blushed.  
Renee in the meantime had untied the horses and was leading them over to Trienee.  
"We need someplace to stay," Trienee said seriously. She reached over to her horse and untied a small, heavy bag from the side. She tossed it over to a startled John, who opened it to find it filled with gold coins. Sputtering, he turned to the grinning girls.  
"You could have just _asked_," Renee said grinning.  
The girls led their horses to shore and began introducing themselves to the impressed men assembled there. Trienee walked over to Will and shook his hand.  
"Trienee Rybeck," she said.  
"Will Scarlet," Will answered warily.  
Trienee cocked her head to the side. "You know, you're rather cute," she informed him. Will blinked in surprise, then found his voice.  
"Really? I thought I was a 'limey bastard,'" he responded. Trienee laughed.  
"You are," she said grinning. "But you're a cute limey bastard." She turned and walked back to Renee. Will stared after the girls in shock, then followed as the group headed back to camp. Life would certainly become interesting with those girls around.  
  
**Hey ya'll. So what do think of my story so far? Like it? Hate it? Let me know please! Oh and I'm not sure about how to do pronunciations so the girls names are pronounced Renee (Ren-ay) and Trienee (Tree-knee). Please R & R. Thanks!**


	2. Fireside Tales

**Hi folks! I'm back. Sorry for the wait on the update. Okay now reviewer responses. To Dancin in the Moonlite. I reread that chapter and you're right. I made the girls seem WAY to mary sue-ish. I'll try to work on that. As to the whole jump through time thing there is actually an explanation to that, but it comes later. It'll tie into the story. Thanks for your opinion though, let me know what you think of what I do to the story in the future. I'll look for your reviews.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood or any characters of said movie. But I do have Will Scarlet tied up in the closet. Hehe.**  
  
Chapter 2: Fireside Tales  
  
Will stared at the two girls seated across the fire. They had changed out of the dresses they had been wearing earlier. The guys had been shocked to find that they had been wearing leather pants under their skirts. At the surprised stares the girls had merely shrugged and said that they hated wearing skirts. Their horses were tethered with the two that Robin had brought, off in the woods a bit.  
The girls had shared their rations, and coupled with the food that the woodsmen had (which in all honesty wasn't much) the group had rather a decent meal for a change. Everyone was lounged around the campfire, full (for once), talking and joking with each other. The girls were cracking jokes right along with everyone else. Will was surprised at how easily they made themselves fit in. When there was a lull in the conversation John finally voiced the question that was on Will's mind.  
"So what brings you two ladies out here?"  
Renee and Trienee exchanged a look, and Renee answered the question. "We're not ladies. We've been living in Nottingham for over a couple of months now." Her face soured. "Long enough to see what kind of men are in charge now, and what kind of man the sheriff is." Trienee shuddered.  
"Where were you from before you came to Nottingham?" someone else asked.  
The girls exchanged another look. Renee again answered. "No where you'd have heard of. It's a long story and we'll tell you another time. For now suffice to say we were on the road on our horses, we had no money and no place to stay. What we saw was a cart, laden down with bags of gold. There were just three men with it, the driver and two guards. They never noticed when a few of those bags went missing." Renee smirked. A few men gave hearty cheers, a few others raised their eyebrows. Trienee took up the tale.  
"We wound up in Nottingham. We wove some tale about thieves and the rest of our party being killed on the road. They took me for a rich lady, and Renee for my servant, God knows why, and we played along and sort of, fit ourselves in." Trienee paused, bit her lip, then continued the tale. "Like Renee said, we were there long enough to see some of the evils that the sheriff and his men were committing. We were planning to leave, the Lady Marian had offered us a place to stay if we wanted to leave the court." Robin picked his head up at those words, watching Trienee curiously. The girl had become uneasy. "Well, we had our minds made up, but about two days ago the Sheriff came to see us. Came to see me. I was a lower ranking woman in the court's eyes, and he usually gets what he wants from women." Her face hardened. "Well not from me. But he doesn't like the word no, so Renee knocked him over the head. Needless to say Renee and I had to run for it. So here we are." Triene finished her tale with a shrug. It was Robin who broke the silence.  
"The Sheriff is really as sure of his position to try something with a noble woman?"  
Trienee smiled humorlessly. "I'm not a noble woman. Yes I know that _he_ didn't know that, but as far as the court was concerned I was a nobody. I hadn't been there that long and no one would notice or care if anything happened to me. Besides, if I got in his way he could have had me done away with. He'd done it to others." She turned to face Robin. "You said your name is Loxley?" he nodded. Trienee shook her head. "I'm sorry. Your father opposed the Sheriff. I heard the story that was passed around the court. It isn't true. The Sheriff has been taking out anyone who opposes him. Quietly, so as not to attract much notice. Personally, I think he's of a mind to snatch the throne while the king is away."  
This statement didn't come as a big surprise to the woodsmen. They were all of similar minds. The beer flask, which was being passed around, came to Trienee then. She took a huge swig before passing it along to Renee, who didn't take any but just passed it along to the next man. This man took a drink then passed the flask on to Robin, completely ignoring the man sitting next to him, Robin's companion Azeem. Robin noticed, and commented.  
"Is hospitality in this country so changed that you do not offer my friend something to drink?"  
"But sir," said the man nervously. "He's a barbarian."  
Robin gave a half smile. "That he is. But no more than any of us." Rebuked, the man offered the flask to Azeem, who declined.  
"Regrettably, I am not allowed." The flask was passed to Robin, who did take a sip. The talk continued. Someone turned the talk to Robin and commented on him being a nobleman.  
"I _was_ a nobleman," Robin said. "But when I killed the Sheriff's men I became an outlaw like you." Up until this point Will had kept silent, but now his temper flared up.  
"You are nothing like us!" he spat, before stalking off into the woods. Startled at his sudden anger, Trienee stared after him.  
"That there is Will Scarlet. Pay no mind to him, he's full of piss and wind," John commented. The talk continued, but Trienee paid it no more mind. Renee elbowed her in the ribs a few minutes later. Trienee turned to look at her friend in confusion.  
"Go after him," Renee whispered. "You want to, and nothing is happening here." She jerked her head at the woodsmen, her shoulder length pale brown hair swaying, amusement dancing in her light brown eyes. Trienee bit her lip, then stood up and carefully extracted herself from the circle, walking around the men and following in the general direction that Will had gone. The last thing she heard was John say, "Here, we are kings." Trienee couldn't help but smile. Those men could be the riot act.  
She pushed through the trees, trying to travel in a straight line figuring that was the most likely thing that Will had done, but it was hard. Her hair kept getting caught in branches, she walked into more than one tree, and her feet kept getting tangled in roots which would trip her up. She felt like she'd been walking for at least half an hour when she finally came to a break in the trees. She sighed in relief as she stepped into a pool of moonlight. Hearing running water Trienee headed in that direction. She came to a cliff. Peering down she saw that the cliff encircled a small gorge with a lake, a waterfall poured over one side of the cliff. Trienee caught her breath, there was certainly nothing as beautiful as this at home. Then she saw Will pacing down on the shore. She sighed in relief again. If anything he could show her how to get back to camp, because she was now quite lost.  
After a few minutes of searching Trienee found a way to climb down into the gorge. Near the bottom though, she slipped and with a startled yelp, landed unceremoniously on her butt. Will was standing a few feet away, having spotted her when she was halfway down.  
"They send you after me?" he asked bitterly, knowing full well that that wasn't the case.  
"No, I came on my own," Trienee responded, picking herself up and dusting off her backside. "Wanna talk?" she asked quietly. Will's expression was answer enough. No, he didn't. Trienee shrugged. "If you ever do want someone to talk to, or talk at, I'm a rather good listener. Will stared over at Trienee, who moved to sit near the edge of the lake and dangle her hands in the water. The moonlight played on her auburn hair, making it shine. Will moved to sit next to her. Her hands moving through the water created small ripples, which grew bigger and faded as they moved across the lake.  
"Where did you learn to pole fight so well?"  
Trienee grinned. "Renee and the rest of our friends have been learning different forms of fighting for years. That was just what I'm best at. I'm the best in the group in fact, no boast intended."  
"What else can you do?" Will asked.  
"I'm a fair archer," Trienee answered. "I'm hopeless with a sword, but I'm alright with a dagger. If someone who knew what they were doing faced off with me though I'd be in trouble." She chuckled. They sat in silence for a while.  
"Where are you and Renee from?" Will asked, thinking of nothing else to say.  
"It's a long story," Trienee replied.  
"We have time," Will pointed out.  
Trienee nodded. "Yes. We do." She stayed silent a while longer. Will thought she wasn't going to speak and was about to suggest that they head back when she finally did.  
"Renne and I are from California." Trienee said quietly.  
"I never heard of it," Will responded.  
Trienee chuckled. "You wouldn't have. It's not going to exist for several hundred years." Will stared at the girl in confusion. What the hell did she mean? "We weren't going to tell you for a while. From Renee's experience people don't generally accept it as true. But I guess you have a right to know. Just promise not to tell anyone until Renee or I do. Alright?" Will consented, curious.  
Trienee pulled her hands from the water and wrapped them around her knees, which she had brought up to her chest. Her gaze went to the moon and she stared at it as though entranced.  
"When I was little my family lived in New York." Again, Will had no idea where that was but he stayed silent. "Then when I was about seven they decided to move. Generally this would have been fine, I mean people move all the time. But they decided to move to Califoria. Three thousand miles away," Trienee clarified for Will's benefit. "At the time all I could think was that I was moving an impossible distance from everything that was familiar, it felt like I was going to have to start a whole new life, have to become a whole new person. And in a sense, I was." Trienee sighed, lost in memories. We moved to a quiet little neighborhood, and I discovered that next door to me there lived a little girl that was my age. Her name was Renee. We became good friends. And I became the third in a group that has since gained quite a few members." Trienee smiled.  
"The third?" Will couldn't help but ask.  
"Yes. There was a girl across the street named Jackie. She and Renee had been friends since the time they were born." Here Trienee paused, as if uncertain how to continue. "Have you ever heard of the parallel universe theory?" she asked Will finally.  
"No," said Will.  
"Well, it's a theory that says that there is another universe running parallel to our own. Same people, same places, pretty much the same events. So, according to this theory, another me and you are having this same conversation at a lake identical to this one in a completely different dimension somewhere." The concept was mind boggling, but it didn't get any less so. If anything it became more so. "When Renee was very young she made a rather strange discovery. The parallel universe theory is only partly true. There are many alternate universes. Some of them are parallel to others and some have the same people but events go completely different ways. There is an infinite number of universes to just about every past event, and to story that was ever created, anywhere." Trienee stopped to let the information sink in. Will asked the obvious question that Trienee was probably waiting for.  
"And, how did she discover this?"  
"Renee found out very young that she was different from everyone else. Very different." She paused for a moment again. "There are places where these universes cross and overlap. Where that happens the continuum of time and space is weaker than normal. About one person in a few billion are aware of this. About one in a hundred of those people actually have the ability to cross through these weakened spaces into other dimensions. These people are known as Walkers. Renee found out, very young, that she is a Walker. She also found, over time, that certain people group around Walkers, and that they tend to also be sent across dimensions. But they can only go one place, a Walker can willingly return anywhere they have been sent." Trienee finished. She waited in silence for Will to respond. He was sitting there slack-jawed, staring at her like she was crazy.  
"You're crazy," he clarified. "Everyone else is going to think so too."  
"You promised you wouldn't tell anyone," Trienee reminded him quietly.  
"And I won't," Will said. "But I wouldn't repeat that tale to anyone, true or not."  
Trienee gave a tired half smile. "At least you're not trying to attempt to burn me at the stake for witch craft, or perform an exorcism. Renee has experienced attempts for both."  
Will shook his head. The girl was mad. The tale was too crazy to be true. Wasn't it?  
"Next you're going to tell me that you can turn into a bird at will," he muttered.  
Trienee chuckled again. "_I_ can't. But you'll find that there are some strange people that group around Walkers." She didn't elaborate. Slowly she dipped one hand back into the water and began to swirl it around again. After a few minutes she yawned and Will realized that he was tired too. He also realized how truly late it was.  
"We should go back to camp," he said to Trienee. Tiredly she nodded. They stumbled back up the cliff, both surprised that they didn't fall and break any bones. Will led the way back through the forest, but Trienee was too tired to notice the path that they took. By the time that they returned to camp the soft gray light that precedes dawn was lightening the sky, and mist was thick on the air. Trienee stumbled over to Renee, grateful to find that her friend had made up a makeshift bed for her. She flopped down and was asleep in moments.  
Will watched her for a time, thinking over their conversation. He wanted to dismiss it from his mind as fantasy, but something kept nagging at him. It was too well thought out to have been made up on the spot, but to wild to be true. But what if it was? And what of Trienee's last cryptic comment? 'There are some strange people who group around Walkers?' What was she implying by that? Irritated, Will shook his head. The story wasn't true. It couldn't possibly be. But the rest of his mind didn't seem to want to agree with that hasty conclusion. After a while he finally fell into an uneasy sleep.  
  
**Whew. This took forever to type. I wasn't going to have Trienee explain about her and Renee so soon in the story, but it just seemed to fit there. Anywhere, I hope you like it and I would like to hear your comments, so please review. **

**Will: Can I come out yet? **

**Me: No. Be quiet.**


	3. The New Leader and The Believer

**Hi again folks! I'm trying to get in another update or two because I'm going on a cruise on Monday. So if I don't get in another one by Sunday evening don't expect one for at least a week. But never fear! My notebook is coming with me so that I will have several more chapters written out, just waiting to be typed and posted. In the meantime please continue to read and review. The more reviews I get, the more inspiration I have to write.**

** Disclaimer: This is getting depressing. I don't own Robin Hood or any characters of said movie. I still have Will Scarlet in the closet though. But maybe I shouldn't have said that... (sound of screaming Will fangirls beating down door.) Yup. Definitely shouldn't have said that.**  
  
Chapter 3: The New Leader and The Believer  
  
Renee woke early in the morning with the scent of dew heavy in the air. She sat up and stretched out her cramped muscles, yawning with the lingering remnants of sleepiness. The sun was low in the sky, and the camp was just starting to stir with the first signs of life. A few of the men were standing up and walking off the last dregs of sleep, and slight hangovers from the previous night. Glancing to the side Renee saw that Trienee was still firmly curled up in her makeshift bed, sleeping soundly. Renee grinned when she noticed the direction her friend was facing. In about an hour the sun would be shining directly in her eyes. Renee made a mental note to be nearby when that happened.  
Looking across the clearing Renee saw that Will was also still sleeping. She wondered how late he and Trienee got back to camp. Noticing that Robin was up Renee decided to go talk with him.  
"Morning," she greeted, perching on the log right next to him. He smiled in greeting. A groan came from a crumpled form on the ground to his left. Renee peeked around to see Robin's blind servant Duncan trying to sit up, wincing with obvious hangover.  
"Too much mead old friend?" Robin asked, a smile plain in his voice. Renee chuckled.  
"Forgive me Master Robin," Duncan muttered.  
"No, go back to sleep," Robin soothed. He glanced around the camp, a thoughtful expression on his face.  
"Tell me Lady Renee-"  
"It's just Renee. Drop the Lady."  
Robin grinned. "Very well then. Tell me Renee. Do they still give alms to the poor at Sunday mass?"  
Renee nodded. "That they do. Trienee and I would give out as much as we could each week."  
Robin looked thoughtful again.  
"If you're thinking on ducking into the city, I'm sure no one will miss you for a few hours. I'll cover for you if they do, if you want," Renee offered.  
Robin glanced over at her. "Would you?" he asked. Renee nodded, then gestured for him to go. Robin got up, clapped her on the shoulder, and took off in the direction of the horses.  
Renee was still sitting on the log a half hour later when Azeem came looking for Robin.  
"Oh, he went for a walk," Renee said vaguely.  
"You know where he went, do you not?" Azeem pressed.  
Renee shrugged. "He mentioned something about attending mass."  
Azeem scowled. "How can I protect him if I know not where he goes?" he exclaimed.  
"Oh relax," Renee intoned. "He's not stupid, and I'm sure that he can take fine care of himself."  
Azeem shook his head, and opened his mouth to reply when the air was split by a high-pitched squeal that came from Trienee's direction.  
"Bright light! Bright light!" she yelped, imitating Gizmo from the Gremlin movies exactly. Anyone who hadn't been awake before that was certainly awake now. Some had been grabbing for weapons before they realized that it was Trienee who had shrieked. Renee was laughing so hard she was getting stitches in her side. Trienee stumbled over to her, one arm thrown in front of her face, grumbling. Renee burst into a fresh fit of giggles.  
"You are two of the strangest girls I have ever met," Azeem informed them.  
"Cheers," was what Renee managed to choke out from amidst her laughing. Trienee simply continued to mutter under her breath about the evilness of sunlight. Renee finally managed to get her laughter under control, and Trienee had gone digging through her bag for a brush. The girls finally managed to make themselves semi-presentable with the help of Trienee's hairbrush, a creek, and a bar of soap.  
They were back at the camp a while later, perched on the log again, when Renee noticed that Will was watching them. His gaze would go from her, to Trienee, then to the floor. He looked thoughtful, would occasionally shake his head with a determined look, but then would go back to pondering the two of them again. Renee glanced sideways at her friend, who hadn't noticed.  
"Just how late were you and Will gone last night?" she finally asked.  
Trienee blinked. "We got back about an hour or two before dawn." Something suddenly sparked in her eyes. "Oh my God Renee! I have to show you where we were last night! You'll love it! There's a lake and a waterfall, and it's just absolutely gorgeous!" Renee was startled at her friend's sudden outburst. Then again, she reasoned, Trienee had lived her life in city and suburban areas. The forest was completely new to her. Of course she would get excited.  
She glanced back at Will, who noticed her glance and quickly turned away, embarrassed. But not before Renee noticed the slight wariness with which he had been watching them. She turned to look at her friend, who had fallen silent again.  
"What did you and Will talk about last night?" Renee asked.  
Trienee sighed, as if she had expected the question. "I told him. About us I mean. I don't think he believed me."  
"Did you expect him to?" Renee asked logically.  
Trienee smiled ruefully. "No, not really. But he didn't exactly scream 'freak' either."  
"And he hasn't told anyone," Renee said thoughtfully, turning again to stare at Will.  
"I made him promise not to," Trienee returned.  
"He may not believe you yet," Renee said, turning back to face Trienee. "But he hasn't told anyone, and he's been watching us all morning." Startled, Trienee picked up her head and spotted Will, now talking to John. "His rational mind may be denying what you told him, but I don't think he's completely disregarded it," Renee said thoughtfully. "He'll believe you in time. Especially when he's given proof." Trienee looked hopeful, watching Will for a few more minutes before turning her attention back to Renee again.  
"Is it easier or harder," Trienee asked suddenly, "when you go somewhere new, and you don't know what's going to happen?" Renee blinked, startled at the sudden question, then thought about it.  
"I'd have to say... easier." Renee answered. "When you know the story, you're not sure what to change, how it will affect the outcome, where you should interfere. But when you're thrown somewhere and you don't know what's going to happen, you can just kinda, go with the flow. Follow along, you know? It's not as stressful." Trienee nodded thoughtfully.  
Further conversation was stilled as hoof beats signaled the arrival of a horseman. Turning, the two girls saw Robin ride into camp on a snow white horse, not the horse he had left on.  
"I didn't know he had left camp," Trienee said in a shocked whisper. They both heard Azeem berating him as he dismounted.  
"How am I supposed to protect you if I know not where you go?" he asked angrily.  
"You hardly lift a finger when you do know," was Robin's reply as he led the horse over to the others to tether it.  
"You've stolen the Sheriff's horse?!" cried John. "Oh, you've stirred up a bloody hornets nest now!"  
The girls exchanged uneasy glances, not hearing Robin's reply. (Translation: I forgot what he said.) Sensing someone come up nest to her, Trienee glanced to the side, startled to see Will standing there. He was staring after Robin with a look of utter loathing on his face. Trienee was shocked.  
"Why do you hate him so much?" she asked in almost a whisper.  
"He's a bloody rich boy," Will seethed. "Thinks he can barge in and just take over." He glared after Robin for another minute, then turned and stalked off.  
Trienee turned a fearful glance to Renee, asking with her eyes what she should do. Renee placed a hand gently on her friend's shoulder.  
"Just let him be for now. I think he just needs some time to work off his steam." Trienee nodded absently.  
"Wonder how big of a hornet's nest Robin stirred up in town today," Trienee mused absently.  
Renee shrugged. "Something tells me we're going to find out soon enough."  
  
Renee was right. They did find out soon. And it turned out that Robin had stirred up a BIG hornet's nest. The Sheriff had ordered the countryside scoured, searching for him. He had turned countless people out of their homes and villages, and then had the villages burned.  
These refugees, having no where else to go, trouped to the woodsmen's camp, led by John's wife, Fanny. Trienee and Renee watched the procession in silence, standing near Robin and Azeem. So they heard Azeem's comment to Robin as the refugees stared at Robin in anger and hate.  
"If it's fame you want Christian, I think you have it."  
Will was pointing Robin out to the refugees, clearly pointing him out as the source of their troubles. One man lifted his young son into the air, turning his face so they could clearly see the gash that split his cheek, and the livid bruises. Renee clearly heard Trienee moan silently beside her.  
Will, looking smug, advanced to the head of the advancing group. He noticed Trienee slip away from Renee and Robin and blend unobtrusively with the crowd. Walking to the head of the group he pointed a finger at Robin and declared, "I say we turn him in."  
(I forget exactly what they say. So please don't chew my head off as I improvise here.) Robin didn't so much as bat an eyelash. "And what then Will?"  
"The Sheriff will give us the reward money. And our pardons." Will turned to face the crowd. He noticed that Trienee had come to stand behind the young boy with the gash on his face, unnoticed by the child's father. One hand was resting on the child's shoulder, the other on his bruised and bloody cheek. Will turned back to Robin, who shook his head.  
"You're wrong Will. The Sheriff will stretch your necks, one by one."  
"So what, you want to join us?"  
"No. To lead you."  
"Well what would you have us do?" Will asked scathingly.  
"Fight back," Robin responded, as if the answer was plain as day.  
"With what?" Will asked, incredulous. "Rocks and our bare hands?"  
"If necessary. But with the one true weapon that escapes you Will. Courage." Robin turned his back and started to walk away. Will was furious. Call him a coward would he? He drew his dagger and moved towards Robin. He saw Renee's incredulous face, but the cry of warning came from a different source.  
"Look out!" It was Wolf who yelled. Quick as lightning Robin whirled, bow strung, and released the arrow. Will dropped his dagger in pain and surprise as the arrow went through his hand. For a few seconds all was completely still, then Will stumbled away, clutching his hand to his chest. As he left his gaze went to Trienee, then to the boy in front of her. He couldn't be sure, in the split second he looked at them, but under the blood on the child's face he couldn't see any cut.  
Robin had turned back. He muttered "Thanks Wolf," then jumped up on the log that Renee and Trienee had been perched on and turned to face the crowd. "Do you want the Sheriff to take your land, burn your homes?" he roared. He was met with a resounding "no". "Do you want to starve this Winter?' Again the crowd roared "no". "Then we must stop fighting amongst ourselves." Robin declared. "Together we are strong. One man defending his home is worth ten hired soldiers." He turned to look at Azeem. "The Crusades taught me that."  
"But what about our children, the Sheriff's taken all they've got to," someone else yelled.  
Robin turned back to the crowd. "Then by God we take it back."  
That was the last thing Trienee heard. She was following Will. He'd run off a distance into the trees, then stopped. He had one hand wrapped around the arrow in his hand. He was about to pull it out when Trienee snapped a twig. Will snapped his head in her direction, wide eyed. Trienee sighed, then closed the rest of the distance between them.  
"Here let me," she said and reached for his hand.  
"No, I can-" Will started, pulling his hand away.  
"Don't be stupid!" Trienee snapped angrily. Will was surprised that the seemingly mild girl had such a sharp tone. Before he was aware of it he had meekly extended his hand to her, and she was carefully examining it.  
"Why'd you do it Will?" she asked sadly. Will turned his head, not wanting to answer her. Trienee sighed. She held the arrow shaft with both hands, and carefully snapped it. Tossing the top part of the shaft away, she took a hold of the bottom, just above the arrow head. She gripped Will's wrist with her other hand. With a fierce jerk, she yanked the arrow shaft out of Will's hand. Will couldn't suppress a hiss of pain, and instinctively tried to jerk his hand from hers, but Trienee refused to let go. She placed his hand in between hers, hers eyes becoming unfocused for a second. Will felt his hand get warm for a second, then she released his hand and stepped back.  
Will looked down to examine the wound, and felt his mouth drop open. It wasn't there. There was some blood on his hand, but the wound created by Robin's arrow had completely vanished. He brought his eyes up to Trienee's, silently asking for an explanation. Trienee smiled tiredly.  
"This is my gift," she whispered.  
"That boy," Will whispered. The boy with the gash across his cheek. That's why he hadn't seen the gash when he last looked. It hadn't been there. Trienee had healed it. Then he remembered her puzzling comment from a few nights before. "Strange people group around Walkers," he whispered. Trienee started.  
"You remembered that?" she asked.  
"Your story is true then," Will whispered wonderingly, flexing his hand. "Everything. It's all true."  
"And so the rational mind gives in to the truth staring it in the face," said a voice behind Will. He jumped. Trienee did too, she hadn't known that Renee had followed as well. She smiled. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."  
Will stared back and forth, from Renee to Trienee. He blurted the first thing that came to his mind. "Are you a witch?" He was surprised when the two girls burst out laughing, breaking the tension that had filled the small clearing.  
"Not hardly," Renee said when she finally collected herself. "Gifts like ours aren't common, but they do exist. We're born with them. But more people are born with these gifts than ever discover them. Most manifest when the person is older, when the rational mind had developed, and fights what the person knows is truth. And so they're special gifts are buried again." She paused. "That's the thing about the rational mind you know. Only adults have them. Children don't and so it is the children who are more in tune with the truths of the universe. Most people just don't want to listen to them. The rational mind fights with a vengeance against anything slightly odd or out of place. It blinds people from actual reality, makes them narrow-minded. But the truth is there is magic out there, just not the way most people think about it." Will studied Renee. What she said made sense, in a strange sort of way. A part of his mind was screaming that these girls were mad, but that part was faint now. He turned to Trienee.  
"Your other friends. You said you were the third in a group..."  
Trienee grinned. "Yeah. What are we now Renee? Freaks United, right?" Renee nodded. "We all have gifts," Trienee said to Will.  
Will shook his head. "No one's going to believe this," he muttered.  
"They will," Renee said. "In time, they will. I'm gonna head back now. That Robin caused quite a stir." Renee turned and headed back to the camp.  
At Robin's name Will stiffened. Trienee sighed.  
"Why do you hate him so much Will?" she asked. Will's lips tightened. His past was his own. No one else needed to know it. "Just remember my offer Will," Trienee whispered. "If you ever need someone to talk to." She also turned back to camp then. Will followed her, watching as the sun chased red patterns in her shining, wavy hair. He was surprised at how easily he accepted her and Renee. But then again, he reasoned, their coming was probably a stroke of luck. With what Robin has in mind we're going to need these girls and their abilities.  
They reached the camp then. Trienee stopped, suddenly uncertain, and glanced behind her at Will. He smiled reassuringly, squeezing her shoulder gently before continuing on into the camp. Yes, he had accepted them. And, truth be told, it really wasn't that hard.  
  
**Okay then. I'm really not too happy with the end of this. I think it's a little, I don't know. Rushed, definitely. And there's just something about it that I don't really like that much. But oh well, the chapter's done and that's something. Please, please review!  
(Crash! Screaming fangirls invade house.) Oh crap, I gotta go fight off fangirls now. I'll update when I can.**


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